DESCRIPTION: This competitive renewal application for an AIDS research training grant is centered in the New England Medical Center (NEMC) Division at of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases (GMID), which is devoted to research and training in infectious diseases, tropical medicine and AIDS. The program seeks to combine expertise in AIDS and basic sciences in GMID with basic science faculty interests at the Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM). It is designed to provide both MD and PhD fellows with structured training which includes basic science and statistics courses, conferences, manuscript and grant writing experience, and instruction in ethical issues in research and human experimentation to complement supervised research in the laboratory of a faculty mentor. At any given time, five fellows are supported by the training grant. Many of the fellows come from the Physician Scientist program at the Medical Center. Recruitment of fellows is through a variety of standard mechanisms. The training plan for individual fellows depends upon their background but includes required courses in biostatistics, retrovirology, and ethics. The Program is organized to insure that all trainees will learn not only the scientific issues and how to address them, but the human issues of HIV/AIDS so that priorities in research can be better tuned to the clinical needs and opportunities. A track is offered in which M.D. fellows may obtain clinical training in AIDS medicine and general infectious diseases, funded by non-Training Grant stipends.